1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wind abatement devices, and more particularly to a flexible wind abatement and impact system for protecting structures, such as buildings and signs, as well as openings within structures.
2. Description of Related Art
The United States has experienced numerous weather-related disasters in the past 20 years that have each caused in excess of $1 billion in damages. In 2004, the State of Florida was subjected to direct hits from multiple hurricanes the combined effect of which resulted in damages of approximately 20 billion dollars. In 2005, hurricanes Katrina and Wilma subjected Florida and the Southern Gulf Coast to devastating damage.
In addition, population growth along the coastline of the United States has resulted in an increased risk to life and property from hurricane related damage. There are approximately 40 million permanent residents along the hurricane-prone coastline of the United States, with areas such as Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas, where hurricanes frequently strike, experiencing rapid population growth. Furthermore, many coastal areas experience substantial but temporary population increases from holiday, weekend, and vacation visitors during hurricane season.
Homes, buildings, and other structures, suffer substantial damage when storm generated winds carrying windborne debris penetrate the structures through window and door openings Hurricane shutters have long been used as barriers to protect window and door openings from the effects of storm generated winds. Equipping homes and other buildings with hurricane protection in the form of storm shutters is one of the most prudent actions one can take to protect life and property.
Accordingly, the background art reveals a number of storm shutters and other devices designed for permanent or removable installation on homes and buildings. Conventional storm shutters typically consist of corrugated metal panels affixed to the outside of a given structure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,536, issued to Becker, discloses a shutter structure having overlapping corrugated panels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,271, issued to DePaolo et al., discloses a hurricane panel system for covering windows and doors wherein a plurality of corrugated metal panels are arranged in overlapping relationship to provide a protective structure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,716, issued to Caplan, discloses a storm shutter system comprising a combination of individual, interlocking modular elements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,903, issued to Astrizky, discloses a hurricane shutter comprising a pair of normally open doors that are swingable to a closed position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,660, issued to Watson, discloses a storm panel comprising a plurality of interlocking tiles interlocked together by a plurality of dovetail joints.
A significant disadvantage with conventional storm shutter panels is that installation of the panels over all of the window openings prevents light from entering the structure thereby darkening the interior. Accordingly, if power is lost, as often happens during severe storms, the occupants of the structure find themselves in total darkness.
Accordingly, a number of references disclosed in the background art reveal attempts to provide storm shutters that provide sufficient impact resistance while allowing light to enter to building. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,430, issued to Rowland, discloses a removable storm shield comprising transparent convex panels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,292, issued to Hill et al., discloses a perforated shutter system wherein at least one panel is formed of corrugations. U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,408, issued to Cooper et al., discloses an insulated light transmitting panel construction having corrugations in the side edges thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,261, issued to Seaquist, discloses a removable translucent storm shutter consisting of a ½″ thick polycarbonate sheet in an aluminum channel frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,233, issued to Gower, discloses hurricane shutters formed of transparent, double-skinned panels that are strengthened by rods extending through the end channels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,921, issued to Kostrzecha, discloses a storm shutter wherein a plurality of corrugated shatter-resistant and transparent plastic sheets fastened to the structure using a mounting mechanism and fasteners inserted through key-way slots. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,555, issued to Madden (a present inventor) discloses light transmitting storm shutter system for homes, buildings and the like. The Madden system provides a combination of corrugated aluminum and clear polycarbonate panels arranged in alternating adjacent and partially overlapping relation over a given window or door opening.
While storm panels are generally effective in protecting building openings, such systems are burdened by disadvantages. For example, storm panel systems are often overly complex, difficult to install, and expensive. One primary problem present with virtually all temporarily installed storm panels is that the panels are generally large and often very heavy, thereby rendering installation a difficult and time consuming task. As a result, many people, including the elderly and disabled, find installing storm panels difficult if not impossible without assistance.
In view of the disadvantages present in the art, the prior art further reveals the existence of alternative flexible wind abatement devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,596, issued to Leeuwenburgh et al., discloses a weather barrier kit is provided comprising double-faced tape used to bond a film to a window frame and a folded and rolled sheet of film having a stiffening band and strip of adhesive across the top. U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,658, issued to Muller, discloses a portable tactical shield system for shielding a doorway or window consisting of an armored curtain and a hook and loop fastening system. U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0154242, issued to Hudoba, discloses a system for covering an opening in a structure includes a sheet of flexible material having opposed side edges. A thickened area and a pocket are formed at the side edges. A plurality of spaced apertures extend through the thickened area, and a rope is positioned in the pocket. A grommet assembly is positioned in each of the apertures to reinforce the apertures. A plurality of fasteners are carried by the structure and are spaced so that they can extend through the apertures.
While the flexible wind abatement devices revealed in the prior art are lighter in weight than conventional corrugated storm panels and thus have largely overcome some of the limitations referenced above, they are primarily designed and intended to cover relatively small window and door openings largely fail to provide a system that is sufficiently adaptable to secure entire buildings or other property from the destructive effects of hurricane force winds.
In that regard, the background art reveals several attempts directed to providing wind abatement devices capable of securing buildings and structures by essentially tying down the roof. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,184, issued to Oviedo-Reyes, discloses a net member positioned over the roof of the building structure with cables used to interconnect support beam members with the net to keep the net in place, and anchorage assemblies keep support beam members in place. This system fails to provide protection for the windows or doors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,788, issued to Bimberg et al., discloses a roof anchoring system wherein roof-engaging plates are arrayed over the top of a roof and connected by cables. Ground engaging assemblies are provided to anchor the roof-engaging plates to the ground. Bimberg does not provide protection for the sides of the structure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,477, issued to Gaffney, discloses a system for securing a building roof using a plurality of lines and ground anchors. Netting material is used to span the lines on the roof U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,572, issued to Laboy discloses a roof tie-down arrangement for preventing damage to a roof by attachment of support members anchored by cables.
The background art, however, fails to disclose a modular wind abatement system sufficiently adaptable to protect a wide variety of real and personal property from hurricane force wind damage. More particularly, the background art fails to provide a wind abatement system adapted for custom installation on any of a wide variety of real property (e.g. buildings and homes) as well as personal property (e.g. boats and motor homes). Accordingly, there exists a need for such a wind abatement system that overcomes the disadvantages and limitations present in the background art.